All That

Luke 18:9 - He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:

Status matters. To some people it matters a lot. Many of us judge our worth by comparing ourselves to others. Whether out loud or to themselves, some say, “I must be better, faster, stronger, richer, more beautiful, more popular, more esteemed, or more of something else than everyone else for me to be worthwhile.” Our capitalistic society was built on competition, and we have come to worship it here in America. Sadly, the status and comparison game has even made it into our churches. However, this kind of selfish posturing was not an American invention. Jesus saw it as a huge problem in his day, and he attacked that attitude.

In Luke 18:10-14, Jesus told a parable contrasting two people. The Pharisee represented everything that everyone in their society looked up to. He was successful. He was religious. He was generous. He prayed and fasted regularly. He had his stuff together. He was, as we say today, “all that,” except for one thing: He “trusted in himself and treated others with contempt.” He played the game to win, and that meant everyone else had to lose, and he eagerly rubbed their noses in it. Listen to the words in his prayer, “I thank you I am not like other people…” What a graphic image of arrogance!

Jesus then presents the opposite example. The tax collector was despised by everyone else in society. There is no reason he should be exalted by others, and he wasn’t. Yet, Jesus lifts him up as the example to follow. Why? Because of his humble repentance. His prayer was completely different, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

Our behavior matters and sin must be addressed, but the sin of arrogance may be the worst of all. We all are imperfect sinners in desperate need of the grace of a forgiving God. We have no business holding others in contempt. Let’s stay humble.